Ice cream freezer

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed an ice cream freezer comprising a system ( 1 ) including a freezer pipe ( 8 ) and a cooling system ( 9 ), a pipe system I is used for introducing ingredients by means of an introducing pump ( 1 ). A pipe system (U) is used for removing finished ice cream by means of a motor ( 10 ). There are provided indicators ( 4, 6 ) for recording parameters such as pressure temperature flow. In order to provide a situation where condensate dripping which may damage sensitive parts, and which at the same time is service and cleaning friendly, the freezer pipe ( 8 ) is placed under the other elements. The cooling system is placed in immediate vicinity of the freezer pipe ( 8 ). By this disposition, dripping due to condensate on freezer pipe/cooling system may only drip down on the floor and not onto sensitive components. Possible leakage in the ingredient pipe system I may only drip on freezer pipes that can stand flushing.

This application claims the benefit of Danish Application No. BA 200000388 filed Dec. 22, 2000 and PCT/DK01/00865 filed Dec. 21, 2001.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns an ice cream freezer including a frame inwhich is mounted freezer pipe, a cooling system, a pipe system withpump, valves etc. for introducing ingredients to the freezer pipe, apipe system with pump for removing finished ice cream from the freezerpipe, motors for driving freezer pipe and pumps and a number ofindicators for recording parameters such as pressure, temperature, flow.

The industrial ice cream freezers known presently do not differ muchfrom each other. Typically, the freezers are built up as a rustproof boxwith removable coverings. The rustproof box is built up over a frame,and at the outer side of the box there are connections for introducingingredients and removing finished ice cream from the freezer.

The main part of the components of the freezers in the form of pipesystem, valves, indicators, cooling system etc. is located within thecoverings. Usually, for practical reasons, only an inlet and outlet pumpwill be disposed at the outer side of the coverings. It has been commonto place freezer pipes at a central position with the cooling systemarranged above the freezer pipe.

The prior art ice cream freezers have been connected with severaldrawbacks. Since the cooling system and freezer pipe become cold,frosting and condensate will be formed. This frosting and condensate maydrip onto underlying components. This will be particularlydisadvantageous when these are sensitive, either because they areelectrically driven or only poorly stands constant water dripping.

Furthermore, leaks may arise in the couplings of the ingredient pipesystem. Hereby, ingredients may drip onto underlying components in theform of motors or other components which are difficult to clean and/orare sensitive to the influence.

In ice cream freezers made traditionally as rustproof boxes, leakage ormalfunction in one of the inner components will not be immediatelyvisible. A leakage or malfunction may thus occur through long timebefore it is discovered by an operator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the purpose of the present invention to indicate an ice creamfreezer of the kind mentioned in the introduction where these drawbacksare relieved as one avoids the risk of condensate dripping uponsensitive components.

According to the present invention, this is achieved with an ice creamfreezer being peculiar in that the freezer pipe is disposed below theother elements and that the cooling system is disposed in immediatevicinity of the freezer pipe.

Since the freezer pipe and the cooling system are disposed under theother elements, condensate dripping from cooling system and/or freezerpipe may only drip down on the floor or a collecting tray with drainhole and not onto sensitive components.

It is possible to place the cooling system at the end of the frame beingopposite the end where introducing and removing pipes are disposed.Hereby, the cooling system is placed in immediate vicinity of thefreezer pipe without increasing the overall height of the facility, suchas being the case if it had bed placed above the freezer pipe, andwithout increasing the width of the facility, such as being the case ifthe cooling system had been placed at the side of the freezer pipewithin the frame.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the introducing pipe system andthe indicators are mounted at a position over or beside the freezerpipe. Furthermore, the frame may be provided with coverings of which atleast some are transparent. If a leak occurs in one of the couplings inthe ingredient pipe system, such a leakage will quickly be recognisedthrough the transparent coverings. Furthermore, after sealing/repaircleaning may easily be performed without any risk of hitting motors orthe like, if ice cream freezers comprise an upper closed box containingmotors, valves and other sensitive components. By placing such sensitivecomponents in an upper closed box, they are protected against drippingfrom condensate or leaks in the ingredient supply system, and willfuthermore be protected against spatter when flushing is performed. Anair system for the ice cream system will also be placed in the upperclosed box.

The drips occurring from the ingredient pipe system may only hit thefreezer pipe and possibly the cooling system. These parts are usuallydesigned so that they can stand flushing.

If the coverings only cover the upper part of the frame, which isdisposed above the freezer pipe and the pipe system for introducingingredients, it will be easy to access the ingredient pipe system andfreezer pipe with the purpose of maintenance and cleaning. Thus therewill not be any need for removing coverings in order to perform dailymaintenance.

In order to get necessary access to the components placed behind thecovering, these will be arranged opening or removable on the frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will then be explained in more detail with reference tothe accompanying drawing, where

FIG. 1 shows the principle of a prior art ice cream freezer providedwith coverings,

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of the structure of a prior art freezer,and

FIG. 3 shows schematically the structure of an ice cream freezeraccording to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a typical industrial ice cream freezer in the form ofa large rustproof box. The box is provided with removable coverings Amounted on a stand S forming a frame for the coverings A. The ice creamfreezer is placed on the legs B. The freezer is provided with a controlunit K used for monitoring and controlling the different components ofthe freezer.

The freezer comprises a pump 1 for introducing ingredients to thefreezer and a pump 10 for removing finished ice cream. These pumps areplaced outside upon the box formed by the coverings A.

FIG. 2 shows schematically the structure of the freezer depicted in FIG.1 as the control unit K, however, is omitted.

The ingredients for the ice cream is pumped by means of the pump 1 intothe freezer. The pump 1 is driven by means of a gear 2 that may beprovided in the form of a gear or a belt/chain drive of a motor 3.

The ingredients are introduced via an introducing pipe system 1 that maycontain a flow meter 4, a pressure transmitter/pressure gauge 5, atemperature transmitter/thermometer 6 and an air supply unit 7 into afreezer pipe 8 where the ice cream is formed.

In the freezer pipe is rotating a (not shown) shaft which scrapes icefrom the wall of the freezer pipe and mixes ingredients and air. Theshaft is driven by means of a gear 14 by a motor 13.

Above the freezer pipe 8 is provided a cooling system 9 comprising acontainer and a pipe system connected with the freezer pipe viaconnecting pipe 9′. The finished ice cream is removed from the freezerpipe 8 via a removal pipe system U containing a pump 10. The pump 10 isvia a gear 11 in the shape of a gear or belt/chain drive of a motor 12.

The ice cream freezer will furthermore include an air system generallydesignated 15 and comprising filters, valves etc.

As it appears from FIG. 1, freezer pipe and cooling system 8,9 aresituated uppermost in the freezer. Motors 3,12 and gears 2,11 lie hereunder but not necessarily at the same level. The greater part of theingredient pipe system 1 including indicators 4,5,6 and the air supplycomponent 7 are disposed under cooling pipes and cooling system. Themotor 13 driving the shaft in the freezer pipe is usually placedlowermost in the freezer.

The broken lines indicate the stand S with the coverings which areplaced around all components.

As mentioned above, this arrangement is disadvantageous in that frostingand condensate from freezer pipe 8 and cooling system 9 can drip on theunderlying components and thereby cause risk of functional failure anddamage. Furthermore, leaks in couplings in the ingredient pipe system Imay give rise to drip on underlying motors 3, 13 (and possibly 12) andother components which are difficult to clean.

Below, an ice cream freezer according to the invention will be explainedwith regard to FIG. 3. As identical parts are indicated with thedifferent figures of the drawing, no specific explanation will be given.

As it immediately appears from FIG. 3, individual components in the icecream freezer are disposed with a mutual position being substantiallydifferent from that illustrated in FIG. 2. It appears that the stand Sincludes a covering providing an upper closed box 16 which is placed onhigh legs B. The freezer pipe 8 and the introducing pipe system 9 withindicator 4, 6 provided therein and the air supply unit 7 are disposedunder the closed box 16. The closed box 16 is provided with transparentcovering plates having an extension corresponding to the broken lines.

It appears that the motors 1 and 10 for introducing and removingingredients and finished ice cream, respectively, are disposed at oneend of the stand S. At the other end of the stand, the cooling system 9is located. In the position shown, the cooling system 9 is placed at theoutside of the stand and via the pipe connection 9′ connected with thefreezer pipe 8. It is seen that the pipe connection 9′ of the coolingsystem is disposed below the ingredient pipe system I with associatedcomponents so that dripping on possible electronics in the indicators4,5,6 and the unit 7 due to condensate is avoided. Alternatively, thesame advantage may be achieved by placing 9′ and I at each their side inthe freezer.

In the closed box 16, motors, pump gears and air system are located.

With the shown lay-out of the ice cream freezer according to theinvention, condensate dripping from cooling system 9 and freezer pipe 8may only drip down onto the floor and not on sensitive components. Ifthere is leakage in the ingredient pipe system, this will be seenimmediately. Furthermore, immediately after sealing/repair, one mayflush the components without risk of hitting motors, air system andother sensitive components as these are placed in the upper closed box.

If leaks occur in a coupling in the ingredient pipe system, dripping mayonly hit the freezer pipe which usually will be designed to standflushing. There will be no risk of such drips hitting motors or othercomponents which are difficult to clean.

1. An ice cream freezer comprising a frame with a freezer pipe mountedthereon, a cooling system, an introducing pipe system with anintroducing pump, valves for introducing ingredients to the freezerpipe, a removing pipe system with removing pump for removing finishedice cream from the freezer pipe, motors for driving the freezer pipe andthe pumps and a plurality of indicators for recording differentparameters, wherein the freezer pipe is disposed at a lowest point ofthe freezer and wherein the cooling system is disposed proximal thefreezer pipe, the frame comprising coverings, an upper part of thecoverings being openable or removable, and the coverings comprising anupper closable box containing motors, valves and other sensitivecomponents.
 2. The ice cream freezer of claim 1, further comprisingintroducing pipe system and removing pipes disposed on a same end of theframe, and wherein the cooling system is disposed at an opposite end ofthe frame.
 3. The ice cream freezer of claim 2, wherein the introducingpipe system and the indicators are mounted above or beside the freezerpipe.
 4. The ice cream freezer of claim 1, wherein at least a part thecoverings are transparent.
 5. The ice cream freezer of claim 1, whereinthe coverings only cover a part of the frame situated above the freezerpipe.
 6. The ice cream freezer of claim 1, wherein the parametersinclude pressure, temperatures flow, and combinations thereof.
 7. An icecream freezer comprising a frame, a freezer pipe mounted thereon anddisposed at a lowest point of the freezer, a cooling system proximal thefreezer pipe, an introducing pipe system with an introducing pump,valves for introducing ingredients in the freezer pipe, a removing pipesystem with removing pump for removing finished ice cream from thefreezer pipe, motors for driving the freezer pipe and the pumps, aplurality of indicators for recording different parameters, theintroducing pipe system and the removing pipes being disposed on one endof the frame and the cooling system being disposed on another end of theframe, further comprising coverings on the frame having upper portions,wherein the coverings comprise an upper closable box containing motors,valves and other sensitive components.
 8. The ice cream freezer of claim7, wherein the introducing pipe system and the indicators are mountedabove or beside the freezer pipe.
 9. The ice cream freezer of claim 7,wherein the parameters are selected from the group including ofpressure, temperature, flow, and combinations thereof.
 10. The ice creamfreezer of claim 7, wherein the upper portions form an opening.
 11. Theice cream freezer of claim 7, wherein the upper portions are removable.12. The ice cream freezer of claim 7, wherein at least a part thecoverings are transparent.
 13. The ice cream freezer of claim 7, whereinthe coverings only cover a part of the frame situated above the freezerpipe.